Pope returns to the Vatican at conclusion of Asia visit
Pope Francis has arrived back in Rome at the end of his weeklong trip to Asia, a journey which took him first to Sri Lanka and then onto the Philippines. He arrived at Rome’s Ciampino airport on Monday evening and then made a brief visit to the Basilica of St Mary Major before returning to the Vatican.
The papal plane took off from Manila airport for the almost 15 hour flight early on Monday morning, as hundreds of thousands of Filipinos lined the streets of the capital to catch a final glimpse of the Pope.
During the three day visit to Asia’s largest Catholic country, Pope Francis captured the hearts of Filipinos as he visited the central cities of Tacloban and Palo to offer words of comfort to survivors of the 2013 Typhon Haian. Millions of people also turned out, despite the bad weather, to be present at the Pope’s final Mass in Manila’s Luneta Park on Sunday.